NDP leadership debate hits Nelson this week

Family will be the focus when the five NDP leadership candidates stop in Nelson on their debate tour Thursday evening.

Adrian Dix, Mike Farnworth, John Horgan, Dana Larsen, and Nicolas Simons will be in the Osprey Room of the Best Western Baker Street Inn from 7 to 9 p.m.

Each of the nine stops on the tour has a specific theme: Nelson’s is family, while others include education, justice, poverty, health care, youth, environmental sustainability, energy, and jobs.

The first section will see the moderator pose three questions on the subject. The second section will take a maximum of five questions from the floor and submitted in advance online. Each candidate will be given an opportunity to respond, and then be allowed to make a three-minute closing statement.

Questions from the floor will be submitted in writing and collected at the event. They’ll be vetted to avoid duplications, and then drawn randomly.

The tour began Sunday in Surrey and concludes April 6 in Terrace. The new leader will be chosen April 17.